Niaomi Dragonseer
Niaomi (commonly addressed by her nickname "Nia") is one of the five Riders of Alalëa and, as of volume two, Eragon's second-in-command. Previously, she was the de facto leader of the RoA due to her seer powers, which includes being able to control and travel through the Mists of Time and Space. In the beginning (Niaomi), Nia did not have full control over her gifts and considered them to be a curse. By Destiny, it seems that she has more control, as she is able to use a naiad's mirror to channel her ability and allow others to view the past in what has been termed a "reminiscence". However, visions can still grab hold of her unexpectedly, and those linked with her mind at the time can also be pulled in (as Eragon was in Shur'tugalar). Despite her power over the Mists (which earned her the title of "the Seer"), Nia's greatest ability is a form of elemental magic that allows her to manipulate and conjure the ten elements without having to utilize her own energy. This impossible feat is a power that only belongs to the gods yet was given to Nia, as they chose her to be their vessel to help end Galbatorix's reign of terror. Her bondmates taught her how to use these powers. Also linked to this blessing and her seer abilities is her link to the Dragons and Riders of the Age. This connects her with the dragons so that she is able to know basic information about them - breed, siblings, parents - and limited information on their Riders - appearance, personality, abilities - as she explains in volume one. Her compulsory visions are usually limited to this group, and the tattoos on her right arms are a physical manifestation/representation of this gift (which is where her titled surname "Dragonseer" originates). The star tattoo on her forehead (called a Dragon's Kiss), is where this ability stems from, though this was placed by the gods rather than by a dragon (as in the case of Elva). Being both a godsblessed and a superior seer, Niaomi is one of the most powerful people in all the land; indeed, some believe that she may even rival Galbatorix (Indlvarn). Despite these talents, Nia is not "the Chosen" one, and her fate is not to defeat the king but rather assist Eragon in doing so. Appearance Niaomi is a young and slightly bustier woman of tall stature. Her features are stated by Eragon in volume one to be a blend of Arya's and Nasuada's: "She had skin only a shade lighter than Nasuada's and lips as full as hers. But her eyes were shaped like an elf's, almost as angular as Arya's and more so than Eragon's. They were a deep purple color with silver flecks swirling in their depths. Her nose was a prominent as Arya's, and her hair just as black, except it was more curly, like Nasuada's." When she first arrives at the Varden, she is wearing all of her jewelry (most of which was gifted to her for her sixteenth birthday): a black choker from which dangles a golden heart-shaped pendant and various items from her bondmates; a teardrop hoop for each of the Dragons of the Age (sans Miremel, who had yet to hatch); a charm bracelet on each wrist; a ring on each finger (the five on the left hand representing magic and the four main elements); and a bronze seer circlet. Her bangs form a fringe that usually obscures her Dragon's Kiss from view, with the rest of her hair often bound up in a knot by two butterfly hair sticks and a kuldrfëon placed between them. Like Arya, she has a yawë tattoo (though hers is located on the back of her right shoulder), but the tattoos on her arm are usually hidden from view. Being a helmingr, she has pointed ears and slanted eyes, but those features are not as pronounced as in elves. Her own most noticeable feature would be her irises, which are a stark violet shade with silver flecks. They glow whenever she is experiencing a vision or briefly when she is channeling the Mists. Name